Storage

OnePlus is now projected to produce an R variant of its next flagship Android smartphone, as it did with the 11R in 2023. However, this "12R" exhibits even fewer design updates than the "12" as leaked thus far, if anything. Its alleged resemblance to its putative predecessor belies upgrades that may only just start with its processor.

Nubia has now officially updated its 2023 Z50 Android flagship smartphone series with a new variant based on the upgraded Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Leading Edition SoC. The Z50S Pro is also backed to rival other top-end mobile devices with cutting-edge 1-inch main rear camera sensors with many attributes shared with professional cameras - even if the actual sensor size in question is not one of them.

Realme has now confirmed that the C53 confers the ability to "Shoot like a Champion" with a 108MP main camera for cheaper than ever before. The smartphone also offers an additional, potentially winning, perk in the form of the OEM's take on the Apple Dynamic Island: its "Mini Capsule for Android". However, this premium veneer of hype comes with frankly puzzling choices in other ways.

Designed with next-generation systems that could hit the market later this year, the industry's first GDDR7 DRAM has now completed the development stage. According to Samsung, the new GDDR7 design sports a 32 Gbps boosted speed per pin while being 20% more efficient and having 1.4 times the bandwidth of its predecessor.

Lenovo has yet to unleash the latest version of its compact Android gaming tablet on the market. Nevertheless, the OEM has chosen to show off its most unique hardware feature in advance of this event. The Legion Y700 2023 will have not one, but two, USB-C ports, so that its owner can use connect peripherals to and charge the device at the same time.

Xiaomi is expected to refresh its flagship 13-series Android smartphones with new T variants soon. Now, one of them, the 13T, is said to have popped up in a new leak. If so, it may outline RAM, storage, Wi-Fi and software specs for the upcoming mobile device.

Offering speeds up to 5 Gbps via USB 3.0, the WD My Book desktop external hard drive is also backward compatible with the USB 2.0 interface. The 18 TB model, labeled WDBBGB0180HBK-NESN, is now down by 59% on Amazon, so it can be acquired for an excellent US$218.99 instead of the list price of US$539.99.

Xiaomi's upcoming first-gen car will debut as an electric vehicle (EV) with a more than respectable range, according to a new leak. Furthermore, it should be able to replenish its apparently sizable battery relatively quickly. Then again, these potentially impressive specs may not be exactly based on the most cutting-edge technology available.

The 12 has been unveiled as one of Redmi's most affordable new smartphones of 2023. It is now headed to India, hyped as a "Style Icon" with "Crystal Glass Design". Its launch is still weeks away from now (July 14, 2023), however; in the meantime, the OEM has released a preview involving a "stunning colorway" for its new market.

Compatible with a wide range of devices, from Windows PCs and Macs to gaming consoles and Linux-driven PCs, the Crucial X8 portable SSD can achieve read speeds of over 1,000 MB/s and features a rugged build that can handle dust, drops, or vibrations. The 4 TB version is now 54% off, so it goes for US$219.99 instead of US$479.99.

Introduced over a decade ago as a free way to upload recent photos, My Photo Stream lost the ability to upload content at the end of last month as Apple will shut it down on July 26th. Thankfully, all users can easily switch to iCloud Photos or even various third-party alternatives.

Compatible with both USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, the WD Elements external drive with model number WDBWLG0220HBK-NESN is now down by 31% on Amazon. Thanks to this generous discount, those interested can get 22 TB of additional storage for their PC or Mac for US$379.99 instead of the US$549.99 list price.

Featuring 512 MB cache memory, the gargantuan 22 TB WD Red Pro mechanical hard drive was designed with NAS and server use scenarios in mind. Its highlights include a yearly workload rate of 300 TB and NASware 3.0 error recovery. Thanks to a 23% discount, it is now down from US$599.99 to US$459.99.

Infinix' latest additions to its ZERO BOOK series of laptops takes its name from the fact that it upgrades to 13th-gen Intel processors. It also ships with up to 32GB of RAM, PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSDs and a 100% sRGB display. The ZERO BOOK 13 is currently being previewed ahead of its release to the Indian market via Flipkart.

Lenovo's revelation that it would be updating the Legion Y700 for 2023 has sparked hopes for a portable gaming tablet with the power to match the year in its product number. Now, a famous leaker purports to confirm that it will indeed have the option of more RAM in its second generation, as well as a newer OS. However, while its silicon will apparently also upgrade compared to the original Y700, it will not be quite as new as humanly possible.

Realme has applied one of its newest "Mars Horizon" design languages to its latest mid-tier Narzo-series smartphones. They have been unleashed on the Indian market with up to 120Hz displays and dual rear cameras, although the most usable sensor may have been reserved for the top-end variant. The 60 Pro is also the only one of the series with a whopping 1TB internal storage SKU.

OnePlus has now made its latest Nord-series flagship official. The Dimensity 9000-powered Android smartphone has made the switch to a flat AMOLED display for its third generation, and pairs this spec to 8 or 16GB of RAM, with increasingly rare IR blaster support to control other devices such as TVs. The OEM has kick-started its availability with European pre-orders sweetened with "free gifts" and offers.

The 11S is iQOO's first ever flagship-grade smartphone that combines a flat display with the brand's ultra-fast 200W charging technology. To that end, it is touted as a new "super fast, super clear, super smooth" e-sports-ready mobile device. Even though it has ostensibly been launched to refresh the 11 Pro, it has the exact same internal specs, however - except for the new top-end storage spec, of course.

Although it comes with sequential speeds that hit 5,000/3,200 MB/s (read/write) and its guaranteed lifespan reaches 250 TBW, the 1 TB MSI SPATIUM M461 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD has a list price of US$69.99. However, those interested can currently grab it off Amazon for 36% less, so they will only have to pay US$44.99.

Although it arrived 4 years ago, the Sabrent Rocket 4 remains an excellent NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD, with sequential read/write speeds up to 5,000/4,400 MB/s when used with a PCIe Gen4 motherboard. Now, the 2 TB version can be acquired from Amazon for US$139.99 (53% off), while the version with heatsink is US$20 more (38% discount).

Serpent Canyon mini PCs are those based on Intel's 14-core Core i7-12700H processor, often with the distinctive 'skull' logo on the side. GEEKNUC has announced that it now stocks desktops of this nature. They also boast a HDMI 2.1 output, a full-sized SD card reader and Thunderbolt 4 ports to the front and rear.

BLUETTI's latest multi-port generator is its first rated to charge like some high-end Android smartphones. The 1,800W AC180 is thus backed to re-fill its up-to-date LFP batteries from 0 to 80% in under an hour. The portable power station is also compatible with solar charging, and is rated to keep most of the user's appliances going in a blackout or outdoors thanks to a "Power Lifting Mode".

Released two years ago and capable of read/write speeds of up to 160/120 MB/s, the Samsung PRO Plus full-size SDXC card is now heavily discounted on Amazon. The 256 GB version is 57% off and its 128 GB sibling is 58% down, so they can be acquired for US$26.99/US$14.99 (each bundled with a USB reader).

Thanks to an automatic discount at the manufacturer's official online store, the most spacious model variant of the very fast WD Black SN850X with 4TB of storage capacity can now be ordered for more than 60 percent off its MSRP of US$699, which results in another all-time low sale price.

Although the mid-range PCIe 4.0 SSD does not have a lightning-quick DRAM like its more expensive counterparts, the Crucial P3 Plus is a great budget-friendly choice since its 2TB model has now dropped to a fresh all-time low price on Amazon.

Micron has unleashed new flash storage with the updated UFS 4.0 standard on the mobile device memory market. The OEM asserts that it can double the speeds associated with its predecessor, while using up to 25% less power. Its "advanced" 3D NAND is backed to help make next-gen premium up-to-1TB smartphones.

The TLC NAND-equipped Samsung 870 Evo with massive 4TB of storage capacity has once again dropped in price and reached an all-time low on Amazon, which now results in a great price of just 5.5 cents per gigabyte and raises the question if and when SSD prices will bottom out.

Microsoft has unveiled a new version of its Xbox Series S. The console is still "all-digital" - however, this variant comes in black, to denote internal storage specs that have doubled in size compared to the original model. For Series X fans, the Redmond giant has partnered with Bethesda to hype Starfield with limited editions and themed versions of its first-party peripherals.

The South Korean company's high-end PCIe 4.0 SSD has dropped to another record low as e-commerce behemoth Amazon is currently selling both the 2TB and 1TB model variants of the Samsung 980 Pro for their lowest prices thus far.

Samsung has finally made the Heatsink version of its latest PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD available. It boasts an up to 50% performance boost compared to the previous generation, in a new chassis equipped with adjustable RGB lighting in addition to cooling touted as improved compared to the 'normal' 990 PRO.

OnePlus' Nord 3 launch event is now thought to be on the horizon, thanks to the arrival of a device with its specs as rumored on the Geekbench database. The leak purports to confirm the smartphone's premium mid-range Android nature, with specs such as 16GB of RAM and Android 13 out of the box.

Motorola touts the new vanilla variant of its Razr Android smartphone series as the one most likely to finally democratize foldable technology, thanks to its mid-range specs. Then again, its predecessor the Razr 22 may have something to say about that, with the same 144Hz main display powered by the same processor as the higher-end Razr Plus/40 Ultra. It is still last-gen, though, with potentially attractive discounts in its future starting with one from its very own brand.

Fossibot touts its new F3600 portable generator as a particularly "innovative" example of its device category, particularly in terms of charging options that go beyond AC and solar to include drawing power from a car via a dedicated port. The OEM also asserts that its large LFP batteries have the capacity to charge the vast majority of a user's electronics in an emergency.

The improved memory chips can deliver up to 50% increased transfer speeds over the previous 176-layer models. With speeds reaching 2.4 Gbps per chip, a PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD would be able to hit 14 GB/s read and write speeds.

The price of Samsung's flagship PCIe 4.0 SSD with 2TB of storage capacity is almost cut in half as multiple retailers are currently selling the 990 Pro with a 45 percent discount in relation to the original MSRP, which already seems like a distant past as the ailing storage segment fights an imbalance caused by oversupply and rather low demand.

Sony touts its latest CFexpress Type-A cards as exceptionally high-capacity and frame-drop resistant, the better to deliver ultra-stable, reliable recording, even in 4K (even internally) or the RAW format. The CEA-M1920T and CEA-M960T are also backed for even the most rugged of shooting conditions thanks to their durable construction, with software support to guard against accidental deletions.

Similar to their noticeably faster NVMe counterparts, the price of 2.5-inch SATA drives continue to plummet as the popular SanDisk SSD Plus with 1TB and 2TB of storage capacity reaches now all-time lows that are just a fraction of the original list price.

Introduced in mid-Mary 2020, the Samsung T7 portable SSD lineup is still very popular and the capacities of up to 2 TB should be more than enough for most users even in 2023. The ongoing Amazon discounts take the 1 TB model down to US$79.99, while the 2 TB model can be acquired for US$114.99 after a generous 57% price drop.

Jackery has announced that its new Plus counterpart for the Solar Generator 2000 Pro is about to be unveiled. It is touted as a new portable power station or backup generator with a build suited to bringing on summer trips from mid-2023. In the meantime, the brand is hyping its launch at a potentially early-bird price by running giveaways for money-off coupons on its website.

XMG has brought its first ever gaming laptops to support the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS to show off as part of its Computex 2023 showcase. The latest (or M23) APEX 15- and 17-inch models also boast 'full power' RTX 4050 or 4060 graphics, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. The potentially affordable new PCs also feature upgradable RAM and SSD storage.

The high-performing 4TB SSD from Western Digital belongs to the fastest PCIe 4.0 drives on the market as it can hit sequential read speeds of up to 7,300 MB/s. Fortunately, even the most spacious model variant of the WD Black SN850X has now dropped below the US$300 mark.

Down from US$429.99 to a more wallet-friendly US$219.99 thanks to a 49% discount, the 4 TB Samsung T7 Shield portable SSD has been around since mid-November 2022 and became very popular since then. This fast and handy rugged storage accessory is rated IP65 for protection from dust and water.

NVIDIA's share price has finally propelled it into the US$1 trillion market cap club today (May 30, 2023). Its meteoric valuation is attributed to its (abundantly clear) focus on AI hardware and services. The company's new status has also been seen to buoy up the stock of other tech companies, AMD included.

Volvo has announced that it will introduce its "smallest ever SUV" in mid-2023. The EX30 is tipped to launch as an all-electric vehicle with a range of up to 298 miles, albeit with a smaller battery than that of the XC40. Nevertheless, it is also touted to deliver perks such as advanced safety in a "more enjoyable" package.

The "iPhone 15 Pro Max" is currently thought to be the world's first top-end Apple handset with a USB type-C port. However, according to a new tip, that is one of its very few substantial hardware upgrades. The leak purports to debunk claims of a new main camera for the upcoming flagship smartphone - then again, it might get more RAM than the 14 Pro Max.

EcoFlow asserts that its latest DELTA 2 Max portable generator can "power every day for 10 years" thanks to its long-lasting LFP batteries. They are rated for an AC output of up to 2,400W, backed to power even large appliances for most of a day in some cases. The 2 Max is also capable of using AC and solar at the same time for fast 0-80% charging times.

The well-known Samsung 870 Evo is a decent option for storage-hungry PC owners who are still stuck with a system that only supports 2.5-inch SATA SSDs and are in dire need of an additional 4TB of capacity.

The Pixel Fold is now officially the most expensive Android device that Google sells through its online Store in the US - and is even more pricey in its top-end 12GB RAM/512GB internal storage configuration. Nevertheless, the Mountain View giant is now out of those SKUs to pre-order in the US.

OPPO has announced updated models for its mid-range Reno series of Android smartphones graced with charging and rear camera upgrades across the board. These specs are headlined by the new, MariSilicon X-enhanced, high-res zoom lens found in the 10 Pro+ flagship variant. Then again, the OEM was so busy with these new optics that it forgot about updating most of its internal specs.

Thanks to a generous 77% discount applied by Amazon to the not-so-generous US$499.99 list price, the 2 TB Samsung 970 EVO Plus PCIe SSD is now available for US$114.99. According to Camelcamelcamel, this is the lowest price of this SSD recorded so far. The 500 GB model is also a good deal at just US$29.99.